Question about your church...

[Manna]

Does anyone else in here attend a Charismatic Baptist church? Now, I know that those words are seemingly contradictory, but I was willing to give it a chance, and I couldn't be happier!

So how about it? Any others out there? =)

[HumbleMan]

Our church is very contemporary, with a lot of hands raised in worship, and many people kneeling at the altar at the end of the service. But we are also a distinctly Baptist church in our preaching, teaching, and sending.

[VictorianAngel84]

Our church is very contemporary, with a lot of hands raised in worship, and many people kneeling at the altar at the end of the service. But we are also a distinctly Baptist church in our preaching, teaching, and sending.

This sounds like my church, except we don't have an altar call, and we have a praise dance team. :thumbsup: I love it!

[HumbleMan]

Never heard of a praise dance team in a Baptist church. That would be interesting. Our youth do a lot of drama/interpretive dance routines, but it's not part of regular worship.

Does your pastor not give an invitation at the end of the service? When our pastor does, he also says the altar is open for anyone who feels led to come and pray.

[arunma]

Our church is very contemporary, with a lot of hands raised in worship, and many people kneeling at the altar at the end of the service. But we are also a distinctly Baptist church in our preaching, teaching, and sending.

Except for the part about kneeling at the alter (we also have no altar call), this describes my Baptist church too.

[Manna]

Why do you all not have alter calls? I misunderstood; I thought all Baptist churches had them!

My church is a part of the SBC, but you wouldn't know it if you walked in on Sunday morning. I absolutely LOVE this church. We have a praise team that does an amazing job of putting together a worship time for Sundays. Actually, we have "Praise" before the sermon, the more upbeat music, and then "Worship" afterwards, which is meant to give the Holy Spirit the time to settle in the Truths that He taught us during the message.

And when I say we are charismatic, we are CHARISMATIC! Some of us more than others, obviously, but we're the dancers, jumpers, flag-waving, tambourine-smacking congregation. And fortunately, the majority of the congregation is 100% sincere in their worship. You're going to have the "fakers" whereever you go, obviously, even in a traditional, quiet service. But our church family is, for the most part, simply in love with God and crazy about praising Him!

I've been raised in the SBC (my father is a pastor), and I feel 100% at home at my current church. My daughter and I have definitely found our family!

[arunma]

And when I say we are charismatic, we are CHARISMATIC! Some of us more than others, obviously, but we're the dancers, jumpers, flag-waving, tambourine-smacking congregation. And fortunately, the majority of the congregation is 100% sincere in their worship. You're going to have the "fakers" whereever you go, obviously, even in a traditional, quiet service. But our church family is, for the most part, simply in love with God and crazy about praising Him!

Flag-waving? I understand everything else, but why that?

[JPPT1974]

We are a loving and tight-knit church too
We sing both hymns and new songs
As also we sing with drums
But we don't speak in tongues though

[Manna]

Sorry, I should have worded it as "banner-waving". It's beautiful, and can be a very powerful form of worship, if used correctly.

[arunma]

Sorry, I should have worded it as "banner-waving". It's beautiful, and can be a very powerful form of worship, if used correctly.

Oh I see. That makes much more sense. Well, it sounds like you've got a great congregation. I'd love to visit this type of church sometime. Mine is charismatic, but not quite as charismatic as yours.

[Phileoeklogos]

I have a question, why would a particular "style" of worship service make a church "charismatic", or more charismatic than another worship syle?

All churches are charismatic aren't they?

[Justin The Baptist]

My church has a good mix of contemporary music with some old stuff thrown in. I like it very much. The preaching done in our church is very conservative and Biblical.

[catch21wide]

The Baptist church I go to (First Baptist of Jacksonville) is a strict Southern Baptist Church. We sing hymns, sometimes the choir sings Southern Gospel songs, our orchestra plays some by themselves. Our pastor preaches straight from the Bible and we believe the Bible is inerrant. My Sunday School class however does sing contemporary christian, which I wasn't used to at first, but now I am getting used to it. When we have the invitation, just the choir sings. We have a pastor at the end of every aisle and at the end of both staircases from the balcony. The choir sings the same song every Sunday. Our former pastor asked someone to write it just for the choir. The song is called "Come To Jesus". We do have some hand raisers, but not a lot. Just as long as we don't start talking in tongue and dancing every where, I'll be alright.

[handmaiden97]

I have many friends who are from a charismatic type menonite Church....I was shocked when they told me, but I think it is great.

[Imblessed]

Question,

Do you mean "charasmatic" in that people dance in the isles during worship(music)? Or do you mean "charasmatic" in that your church members speak in tongues, prophecies, etc?

How much "getting into the praise and worship music" is charasmatic?

Our church has a worship band, and the music is mostly modern praise and worship, with some 'updated' hymns thrown in. some of the members raise their hands during the songs, but everyone very much enjoys it. I wouldn't call it 'charasmatic' though.


It does sound like you love the church, so that's good, but I don't think I would be comfortable there. It sounds quite alot like a friend of our family's church. That church isn't "baptist" though. It's called Grace Fellowship, and it's listed under "evangelical churches" in the phone book.

[PaladinGirl]

No, I don't attend a Charismatic Baptist Church and I will never attend such a church especially if it includes such modern heresies as speaking in tongues and slain in the spirit.

[Manna]

What a variety of responses! =)

Oh I see. That makes much more sense. Well, it sounds like you've got a great congregation. I'd love to visit this type of church sometime. Mine is charismatic, but not quite as charismatic as yours.

Thanks! Yes, it really is a great congregation. What is yours like?

My church has a good mix of contemporary music with some old stuff thrown in. I like it very much. The preaching done in our church is very conservative and Biblical.

Sounds like a nice church! As long as the preaching and teaching are Biblical, it can't be wrong, right? =)

We do have some hand raisers, but not a lot. Just as long as we don't start talking in tongue and dancing every where, I'll be alright.

I'm guessing you wouldn't have wanted to be a part of King David's congregation then? =)

Do you mean "charasmatic" in that people dance in the isles during worship(music)? Or do you mean "charasmatic" in that your church members speak in tongues, prophecies, etc?

I meant the corporate worship, singing, dancing, waving, etc. Our church doesn't have a time for public prophecies or for speaking in toungues, that sort of thing is for individual worship; what happens in the seats is between God and the one worshipping Him!

No, I don't attend a Charismatic Baptist Church and I will never attend such a church especially if it includes such modern heresies as speaking in tongues and slain in the spirit.

Oh boy...you know what? I'm just going to leave that one alone! =)

[JPPT1974]

Don't attend a charismistic church
We just are pretty informal
As well as by-the-book!